Ford owners sue, saying EcoBoost engine defective

The lawsuit says the 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine can shudder, shake and then rapidly lose power while drivers are accelerating. Two of the plaintiffs, a married couple, say their 2010 Ford Taurus SHO has lost power and stalled on multiple occasions. The third says he has lost power when he was accelerating in his F-150 pickup.

The lawsuit says more than 100 drivers have complained to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the V6 EcoBoost rattling or losing power. Ford hasn’t recalled any vehicles for the alleged defect, and NHTSA hasn’t opened an investigation, which is often the first step in the recall process.

The lawsuit claims Ford has acknowledged the problem in messages to dealers, but hasn’t informed owners.

Ford declined to comment Tuesday, saying it hasn’t seen the lawsuit. The company wouldn’t say how many vehicles it has sold with the V6 EcoBoost engine.

Ford has been selling vehicles equipped with the V6 EcoBoost since late 2009. It’s an option on the Ford Flex, Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKT and Lincoln MKS sedans from the 2010-2013 model years; the F-150 pickup from the 2011-2013 model years; and the Ford Explorer Sport from the 2013 model year.

Ford also makes four-cylinder and three-cylinder EcoBoost engines, but those aren’t cited in the lawsuit. All three engines use turbocharging and direct injection to give them the power of a larger engine with the fuel economy of a smaller one.

The lawsuit was filed late last week in U.S. District Court in Columbus. A similar lawsuit involving different drivers was filed last month in U.S. District Court in Louisiana.